Back at the end of October, we reported that the Nordic nations had set-up a prize similar to our very own Mercury, to give recognition and cold hard cash for the best album in a given time period and given geographical area. That was a step in the right direction, given all the recent cooperation between the various export offices. The list of acts from each country has now been revealed and it's a good lot, as you'd expect.

The 50 candidates so far are below. Only 12 of these will be nominated overall.

And there we have it. The prizegiving will take place at the annual Norwegian industry showcase and festival by:Larm, in 2011. The winner will also get €20,000 in prize money, being unveiled on February 19. Not long to wait but a great list to pick from. More information about it all here.